Live stream: Bass High v St Dominic’s, Peter Mulholland Cup
Powerhouse St Dominic’s have shown their class with a commanding win over Bass High in the Peter Mulholland NRL Schoolboy Cup. RELIVE all the action from our LIVE STREAM.
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Rugby league powerhouse St Dominic’s College have shown their class with a commanding 34-12 win over Bass High in the first round of the Peter Mulholland NRL Schoolboy Cup.
Fullback Liam Ison, five-eighth Jaxon Edgar and hooker Riley Pollard combined to steer Kingswood school to a 34-12 late onslaught in front of a cheering home crowd.
St Dominic’s coach Kyle Churchill said he was “definitely impressed in patches” with his side’s first hit out.
“It was only our second game and we were a bit rusty, but the most exciting part was seeing some of the boys’ link up,” Churchill told News Corp.
“Liam Ison, Jaxon Edgar and Liam Pollard were great all through the middle.”
“And a couple of big physical performances against a big side, I thought Connor Autagavaia and Jack Ewer in the forwards were really strong.
“Our backrowers, Ethan Hutchings and Uaale Elisara also took a lot of their workloads as well.”
It was five-eighth Jaxon Edgar who opened the scoring for St Dominic’s, followed shortly by explosive centre Bayden Moran, son of former Eels player Dennis Moran.
Then the pulse of St Dominic’s quickened when Jaxon Edgar bagged his second try of the game, proving to be a dream start to his schoolboy’s campaign.
But Bass High struck back shortly thereafter to stay in the game with a four pointer by explosive centre Maxwell Taotua in the second half.
The visitors continued to reduce the deficit with another try through Dayshawn Lyden, despite playing with only 12 players after second rower Mitchell Taotua was sent to the sin bin.
But it was Panthers Harold Matthews star five-eighth Riley Pollard who handed momentum back for the Kingswood boys, crossing over for a Round 1 double.
And then Dom’s halfback Jett Cleary - son of Panthers coach Ivan - who had a hand in almost every try that his school scored, put the icing on the cake for the locals with a final try to bring the score to 34-12.
PREVIEW: Bass relishing facing competition big guns
It is the only comprehensive school in the Peter Mulholland Cup, and Bass High wears it like a badge of honour.
The ultimate underdogs in the elite schoolboys league competition, coach Jon Wilson has instilled a sense of hard work in his students which sees early morning wake-ups and full-squad commitment a cornerstone of the school’s success.
The six-time University Shield champions will need every bit of that toughness and resilience as they prepare for a tough battle with Western Sydney rivals St Dominic’s on Wednesday.
Wilson, who also coaches the St George Dragons Tarsha Gale Cup side, believes his side will show an increased competitiveness in 2022 with most of his squad returning for this campaign.
“We are constantly trying to change up our game,” Wilson said. “We are basically trying to get more combinations on the field, we were a bit off the pace in that area last year.
“The players don’t get time off during the day to train together. Our boys are out there on the field at 6.30 and 7am before school each morning.
“A lot of our boys were in the younger age last year. I think we will be more on the pace this season.”
St Dominic’s have been one of the unsung school sides heading into the Peter Mulholland Cup season, but there is always plenty brewing at the foot of the mountains.
The Penrith school has been a production factory for exciting playmakers including Greg Alexander, Brad Fitler and more recently Nathan Cleary and appear to have another leading the way in captain Liam Ison.
Ison was impressive for SG Ball premiers Penrith to start the season earlier this year, before he was cruelled by injury and missed the Panthers sizzling run to the title.
St Dominic’s coach Kyle Churchill said his side possessed the talent to shock the competition this season.
“I don’t think there’ll be much expectation on us and that’s something we are pretty excited about,” Churchill said.
“We’re probably going to have a bit of shock value and we’re backing the way that we’re going to play is going to be a little different.”
TEAM LISTS
Bass High School
1. Bilal El Youseff 2. Jye Daly 3. Maxwell Taotua 4. Lennox E’e 5. Mithu Murray 6. Jonathon Sua 7. William Ben 8. Fanafou Seve 9. Jack Branda 10. Simione Laiafa 11. Mitchell Taotua 12. Jerome Goddard 13. Orlando Manase 14. Kevin Pham 15. Sitiveni TaulangaUlangaanngaa 16. Isaia Tu’ifua 17. Dayshawn Lyden 18. Elijah Cinavou 19. Itula Seve
St Dominic’s College
1. Liam Ison 2. Cooper Hale 3. Joshua Gavan-Kimber 4. Bayden Moran 5. Mitchell Heather 6. Jaxen Edgar 7. Jett Cleary 8. Connor Autagavaia 9. Riley Pollard 10. Ezra Faaslo 11. Ethan Hutchings 12. Uaale Elisara 13. Jack Ewer 14. Jack Attard 15. Jai Williams 16. Kai Raven 17. Kai Young 18. Tylah Mohi
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